Summary

A tale of gods, humans, and animals set against latter period samurai Japan and the country's
industrialization process

Anthropomorphic animals

Opening Sequence:
Vocal narration to focus the audience and introduce the plot
Placed in ancient feudal Japan, in the countryside
Few small villages and towns as locations of habitats, but much of the action takes place within
a forest setting
Landscapes and backgrounds are hand painted
Color palette is overwhelmingly green
*Colors evoke senses and feelings in the audience.

In ancient times, Japan was covered in deep forests, within which lived the gods of old
Darker tone
The mountains aren't right
Creates a visual landscape
Opening images of a bleak and foggy forest
With animation, you can shoot in any location, at any time of day, without having to worry
about cars in the background, people talking, the amount of sunlight, or the actors doing the
right job

Quotes
"Disgusting little creatures, soon all of you will feel my hate and suffer as I have suffered"a
Demon pig "You will suffer as I have suffered"
"So you say you're under a curse? So what? So is the whole damn world."
"Without their ancient god the animals here will be nothing but dumb beasts once more. When
the forests have been cleared and the wolves wiped out this desolate place will be the richest
land in the world. And Princess Mononoke will become human."
Apes: "We plant trees. Humans tear them up. The forest does not come back. If we kill the
humans, we will save the forest."
"We are here to kill the humans and save the forest"
"Why cant the humans and the forest live together? Why can't we stop this fighting now?
The humans are gathering for the final battle. The flames of their guns will burn us all"
"Huh, I didn't know the forest spirit made the flowers grow"
Mis En Scene:

Sound: The music utilizes both the western and pentatonic scale. It is mainly classical and
melodic. Silence and natural sound are used as a counterpoint to the score and dialogue. It
highlights the points of tension.
Sound is an important factor. Foot padding, wood moving, rustling

Characters:
Ashitaka – melancholic, earnest boy rather than typical brave man
San – fierce and brave, wise beyond her age. Development take place in her character as she
learns to distance herself from hatred.
Lady Eboshi- town ruler and commander of an army. Strong and secure personality which is
atypical of women from that era. She dresses as a prostitute of the time, but has more
ownership of her position.

Anthropomorphic animals appear in the form of spirit gods.

Moro (giant wolf god) – acts as San's adoptive mother. She can speak and reason, and cares for
her daughter.

The Great Forest Spirit – uses metamorphosis to change into the Nightwalker, so varies between
a fanciful deer creature and a spirit

Theme:
On the surface, the movie could be interpreted as a film about environmentalism and
destruction of the natural world by the evils of the human race
The conflict between nature and industry gives a basic foundation of dispute between
characters to kick start dramatic progression, and simultaneously lead us down the numerous
other paths of analysis
Highly critical of humans' disregard of the natural world and our profiting from its destruction
Environment
Humans are a destructive force against nature.
Lush greenery vs barren wasteland and industry

The demons are infected with this "oozing quality" that has the sentient of crude oil.

Workers in the ironworks city wore unnatural, manufactured colors like orange and pink
Whereas San and Ashitaka wear Earth tones. San wore white to imply a sense of purity.

Also explores the turbulent industrialization of Japan

Explores the notion of tradition and the onset of modern life

*Sacrifices that must be made for progression, be that tradition, ideologies, or human life

Layered film that can be interpreted on a number of levels

A film about transition. The film depicts a few 'changes'

1. Transition present in the film's narrative: change from natural to industrialized
landscape. Metamorphosis of natural to unnatural with not only the setting, but also the
 use of rifles and primitive technology to combat alongside the traditional samurai
swords
2. Changing female roles in society. Female empowerment is placed right at the heart of
the film's attitudes concerning societal transition.
Lady Eboshi is capable, ruthless, intelligent, and powerful, as are the many prostitutes
she has liberated and now employs as her workforce.
The women are characterized often as the smartest people in the room, putting the men
to shame with their work ethic and courage. This change in gender representation is
intrinsically linked to the changing times of Japanese culture, and the shift away from
the male focused traditions central to feudal Japan.
With a transition away from tradition and into industrialization, comes a shift in gender
roles.

"Quiet woman"
"Watch your mouth"
"Happy women make a happy village"
"Remember, you can't trust men"

"You would do that? Kill the very heart of the forest?"

3. Transition that the studio itself underwent following the release of Princess Mononoke
Last major animated film to be drawn on plastic cells

The scar Ashitaka carries symbolizes illness that ravage the modern world, making the
protagonist a hero for a contemporary generation, as well as his own.

Scenes
For example, there is a scene early in the film where Ashitaka leaves his campsite in the early
morning. The lighting in that scene is utterly beautiful, featuring golden rays of sunlight
permeating the tree branches and morning fog. The symbolism of a new life for Ashitaka is clear
and tastefully illustrated (no pun intended).

Foggy nature with sunlight peaking through

The nature of the scene is telling of the mood. Rain

Another example would be the deep forest realm of the Deer God, which is nothing short of a
sensory feast. Apart from the creative spritely forest spirits that populate the woods and the
dense green setting, Miyazaki uses unique audio design to further transport the viewer.

https://www.thefourohfive.com/film/article/scene-dissection-princess-mononoke-146
3.5 – 4 Pages long (times new roman, size 12 font, double spaced, 1 inch margins)
Original Argument About the Film (argument about what the film is trying to get the audience
to think, feel, or do. Sustain the argument and show its significance throughout the paper)
Close Reading and Thick Description (language that depicts the visuals of the film, include
cinematic elements, close reading of at least one scene)
Context (year, director, production-based or historical events that may have impacted its
production or reception)
Engagement with Secondary Scholarship (Include 2 sources in class)
Evidence of Careful Proofreading and Thoughtful Organization